In The Name of Love
by chickygurl
Summary: One Sentence Challenge. Fifty romantic sentences, all alluding to our favorite couple: Zuko&Katara. Back stories to prompts follow.
1. Prompts

Just a little something I wrote for the 1sentence community at livejournal-dot-com a while back. I thought y'all might enjoy it. So please review when you're done reading!

**Disclaimer:** _Avatar_ doesn't belong to me. If it did, there would be lots of Zutara. ;DD

(Back-stories to prompts follow in next chapters!)

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**#01 - Motion  
**In the beginning, the constant swaying of the Fire Navy Ship gave her plenty of dizzy spells, that which later on caused many minutes of vomiting, but what she never realized was that all times that he came to see if she was okay, he was just looking for an excuse to see her. 

**#02 - Cool**  
Zuko understood that ice could be terribly cold - he wasn't an idiot, despite what Sokka thought - but what he didn't understand was how someone so warm and wonderful could control it.

**#03 - Young**  
They were young and in love, unaware of the scandal their union would cause.

**#04 - Last**  
She had thought that their love would last forever ("I'll never leave you," he had said) but when she saw him crowned Fire Lord next to his new wife, she learned to forget those empty promises.

**#05 - Wrong**  
"You don't love him, Katara!" Sokka yelled furiously, flailing his arms with his boomerang in hand, his blue eyes completely blind of the fact that his sister couldn't care less if he felt that her feelings were wrong or not.

**#06 - Gentle**  
The way that he had caressed her skin so softly and sweetly took her by surprise, for she did not know that someone as rough and determined in battle could be so gentle while making love.

**#07 - One**  
The first and only time that he had kissed her, he claimed that it was merely part of their bargain ("If I give you a kiss, will you stop pestering me?"), but now, as he watches her smile sweetly at him, he realizes that it must've been much more than that.

**#08 - Thousand**  
Despite what many people may think, Katara will never forget the day he died, because no one can lose thousands of tears and simply _forget_.

**#09 - King**  
She sometimes found herself crying in the washroom, wondering how someone as _powerful_ and _rich_ as him could possibly find her, a measly Water Tribe peasant, worthy of being their Consort.

**#10 - Learn**  
The day that she kneeled next to him, his arm bleeding severely from a deep wound and her face contorted with a sincere concern for his health, he realized that she wasn't as unforgiving as the water she bended.

**#11 – Blur**  
The only thing that Zuko could see was the dense white fog laid before him, and he hated how the only person that could possibly clear the cold clouds out of his way was mad at him for saying a sexist remark.

**#12 - Wait**  
The village people called the old Water Tribe woman crazy as they watched her solemnly wait at the dock, her blue eyes endlessly searching the horizon for the love who had gone to fight the Final Battle eighty years before, and never returned.

**#13 - Change**  
"He's different now, Aang," Katara reasoned as she looked into her friend's gloomy, gray eyes, hoping that he would understand that even though the Prince had chased them to the end of the world, she still fell in love with him.

**#14 - Command**  
"You can't order me around, _peasant_," I answer back heatedly, knowing very well that I'm lying and hoping at the same time, that she'll never find out.

**#15 - Hold**  
The warmth that radiates from his strong arms feels like heaven, the Waterbender contemplates and whispers dreamily into his chest, "Hold me closer."

**#16 - Need**  
"Where are you going?" Katara asks worriedly, grasping his arm; _we're enemies_, she thinks briefly but ignores it as she adds hesitantly, "I'm afraid of the dark and you're the only one I have right now that can provide me with light."

**#17 - Vision**  
"You're blind if you can't see that she's in love with you," Aang whispers one evening, his voice strangely glum, and looks away upon noticing the Prince spare the dormant Katara a fleeting glance, a smile on his face.

**#18 – Attention**  
With every swift movement of her arms and kick of her legs, Zuko tries to keep his eyes on her face and only her face.

**#19 - Soul**  
Their souls were intertwined since before they were born, like the sun to its moon.

**#20 - Picture**  
The moon shone beautifully above her, its dim light casting shadows over them; she turned to him, her blues eyes bright, and beckoned him over with the wave of a hand.

**#21 - Fool**  
He punched the air in front of him, a ball of fire escaping his fisted hand, and growled (quite loudly, Katara noticed amusedly) when she easily dodged it and dropped a wave on his head.

**#22 - Mad**  
If there was anything she knew that she could never change, it was that when he became angry, he would growl and set his fists aflame; she also knew that she could never change the way his body relaxed after she placed soft, gentle hands on his broad shoulders.

**#23 - Child**  
The Palace Healer opened the door, his arms holding innocent life within warm blankets, and smiled upon seeing the Fire Lord's gold eyes widen in both excitement and expectation and said in the softest of voices, "The image of a true _Prince_, my Lord."

**#24 - Now (Companion to #36)**  
She didn't want to distrust him - after all, when he had come to them, he had been severely ill and more than willing to join them - but whenever she glanced his way and caught his attention, a chill would pass over her, and she would look away, afraid.

**#25 - Shadow**  
Sokka fisted his hands as he watched their silhouettes become one behind the thin veil that separated their bedroom and yelled heatedly, "You do know that I'm in here, right?"

**#26 - Goodbye**  
Tears ran down his cheeks as he held the wrinkled piece of parchment in his shaking hands ("Don't try to find me," it read) and tried to understand where he went wrong.

**#27 - Hide**  
The Waterbender's ragged breath pierced the air, her eyes searching blindly for the man who had asked her to meet him in the Secret Tunnel that cold night.

**#28 - Fortune**  
_Who knew it'd be him?_ she wondered, her aging mind going back to when she was an eager girl who thirsted for knowledge about her future beau.

**#29 - Safe**  
"It's okay, I won't hurt you," he whispered and wiped her tears.

**#30 - Ghost**  
"Please, Avatar, I need to see her one more time," he begged, hoping against hope that the boy would give into his pleads and take him to the swamp where lost loved ones can be seen, if just for one moment.

**#31 - Book**  
"Are you even listening?" Katara asked, stopping upon finding the young Prince hungrily eating every word from the book that she had bought for him the day before: _War Strategies for the Ages._

**#32 - Eye**  
She looks into his fierce orbs, sees his soul, and falls in love.

**#33 - Never**  
_It's a funny thing_, she sometimes thinks as she watches her  
husband, a respected Fire Lord, teach their youngest girl how to Firebend, _when you do the one thing you swear you'll never do._

**#34 – Sing**  
It was a cool November night when he heard her sing, her voice drifting through the air like an angel's call and he swore that he would do anything to hear that voice again, even if it was just for one moment.

**#35 - Sudden**  
"I hate—" she yelled angrily and gasped when the Prince gripped her shoulders and pulled her against him, forcing her into a kiss that she passionately gave back.

**#36 - Stop (Companion to #24)**  
She remembers well the day he ran into them, alone and with a severe fever, and how he had easily obliged to being their ally before he fell, his illness taking over his consciousness.

**#37 - Time**  
"May you teach me how to tell time?" she asks timidly one afternoon after observing the Prince construct a small sundial.

**#38 - Wash**  
"I may be a peasant, _Prince_ Zuko, but I'm not your servant," Katara reproaches, shoving his dirty laundry into his lap before storming away.

**#39 - Torn**  
"I don't love you," Katara proclaimed and pushed, him away, sad tears falling down her face as he challenged her with, "Then leave me and go to them while you still can."

**#40 - History**  
The history of his people was tragic; more tragic was his life.

**#41 - Power**  
The Fire Lord has the type of temper that could start a war; the Fire Lord's wife has the temper that could end one.

**#42 - Bother**  
"Don't bother me, peasant," he ordered arrogantly and gasp upon feeling a cold water whip hit his scarred face.

**#43 - God**  
"Please give him back to me," she whispered to the sky, tears falling from her eyes as she hugged her lover's lifeless body.

**#44 - Wall**  
Secrets were things she would never tolerate from her friends - let alone suspicious Princes who suddenly joined the "good side" for no apparent reason - but she let it pass when she realized that he wasn't holding a secret from her, but rather himself.

**#45 - Naked**  
He stood, frozen to the spot, his eyes locked on the Water girl's nude figure that stood peacefully under the small waterfall, her hands gently massaging her scalp as she washed her long brown tresses.

**#46 – Drive**  
"He won't eat you," Katara had told the stubborn Prince when he had been hesitant to get on the flying beast, "unless I tell him to."

**#47 - Harm**  
Pangs of guilt ran through the Fire Lord's body as he listened to his wife give birth to their first child - _and possibly our only_, he considered, upon hearing another desperate yell in the next room.

**#48 - Precious**  
An old necklace, carved out of wood many years ago - a symbol of his never-ending love for her.

**#49 - Hunger**  
"Soup?" she offered kindly and smiled upon seeing him bow his head respectfully at her, accepting the food that she had - secretly - prepared just for him.

**#50 - Believe**  
A stolen kiss, a million excuses, a broken heart; he still wonders if she would be at his side if he had killed Mei when he had had the chance.

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**Notes:** The idea for **#12 - Wait** came from a Hispanic Song _En el Muelle de San Blas_ by Mana. Credit to them for singing such great romantic songs.

**Personal Favorite: #1 - Motion** because I was so inspired when I started this. I think it's the best one on here. ::shrug::

Thanks again for beta'ing, **JessieHeart**, you're so great. And just the fact that you're a Katara/Aang fan makes me feel extra special. I love you so much:D

**Please review **because I worked hard on these. Flame me if you must, but I _need_ feedback, it is my food.


	2. Drive

Follow up for sentence **#46: Drive**

Disclaimer:_ Avatar_ does not belong to me. If it did, there would be more Appa/Zuko love.

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_"Before you attempt to beat the odds, be sure you could survive the odds beating you."  
_- Larry Kersten

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Most would agree that if they were asked to get aboard a two ton bison, fear would completely overwhelm them. It has nothing to do with logic or inner strength, it's just natural instinct. One knows that an animal could kill you and not lose a wink of sleep. 

And Zuko most _definitely_ knew that.

So, when he was asked to get on Appa, he panicked. Though, of course, his panic was disguised with proper excuses, such as "I don't think he likes me" (which was true) and "You're kidding me, right (which they were not)?"

Aang and Toph tried to convince the Prince that Appa wouldn't hurt a fly. In fact, Toph said, it should be Momo you should be more worried about.

But Zuko was not fooled.

Sokka approached him next, throwing at him all sorts of insults.

"And you think you're tough."

That only caused problems that resulted in two black eyes— both on Sokka's face.

It was at last Katara's turn. She spoke to him kindly, telling him that she felt the same way when she first rode Appa.

"He's big, I admit, but nothing to be afraid of."

Katara insisted, telling him that once onboard, the view from the sky was beautiful.

And quite _romantic_.

At once, the Prince lit up and went toward The Beast with confidence.

"Perhaps they're right; you're just a weak animal after all."

This statement, however, did not sit well with Appa, and so, he ate him.

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Some of you wanted some backstory to some of these, so I thought "what the hey". So if I get a good response for this, I'll continue doing follow-ups for the other sentences that I made. :D 

Please review!


	3. Motion

Follow-up for Sentence **#1: Motion.**

_Avatar_ doesn't belong to me, but if it did there would be lots of Zuko/Katara interaction.

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_"True love is a destiny, the kind that is unexpected and the type that one cannot run away from."_  
--Rifie G at lovingyou-dot-com

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When she first set foot on his ship all those day ago, she despised his very existence. He ruined her life, her brother's life, and the life of a twelve year old boy whose duty was to save the world. Prince Zuko was an evil man— a person who would remain selfish and cruel, and who would not be stopped if he ever regained the throne.

These were the thoughts that passed through her head when she woke, when she ate, and right before she fell asleep. And these words were repeated with even more venom when he visited her.

He was usually quiet, never hurtful or cruel with her on his daily visits. And though she would never admit it, she sometimes thought she saw remorse in his eyes when they spoke. But when she tried to be more than civil with the young Prince, he would scowl and make the wall between them thicker to penetrate.

But what she never knew was that the various days she was on the ship, vomiting because of the constant swaying, he came to visit her because he was genuinely concerned for her well-being. He needed to make sure that she was going to be alright.

But most of all, he needed to see _her_.

Because despite the arguments they had on a daily basis, he knew they were bonding. And even though he knew she spoke ill of him behind his back, he knew she would care if something went wrong. But what he must've noticed most was the way she looked into his eyes when there was complete silence— that look of utter understanding and care.

He needed that. And after discovering that Katara could provide it, he needed _her_.

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Please review!


	4. Ghost

Follow-up for Sentence **#30: Ghost**

_Avatar_ doesn't belong to me, but if it did there would be lots of angst in the Zuko/Katara department.

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_"Grief tears his heart, and drives him to and fro, in all the raging impotence of woe."_

_-Homer, in The Iliad" _

_

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_Everything had seemed to fall apart when the young Waterbender died in battle. Time itself seemed to have stopped going as the girl fell, her hand reaching out toward her brother. Her head had hit the ground more softly than it should have; and her blue eyes quickly looked over at the Avatar in an attempt to keep a final watch on him. She whispered her mother's name softly before feeling her soul being ripped out of her body. Then everything fell silent. 

The Avatar won the battle though at a great loss. His best friend had lost at a most horrible price—her life. Aang grieved Katara's death by meditating and would weep in silence upon remembering her final moments, but he continued his duties knowing that Katara would not want him to ignore his people.

Her brother mourned for her as well. Sokka mourned for his sister with ceremonies and prayer and private memories. He cried in public, unashamed of his tears. And like the Avatar, he continued with his life like he knew his sister would want him to.

The Prince of the Fire Nation, however, fell into a most horrible depression, blaming himself for the girl's death. Though he had only been with their group for a few months, he had given himself the responsibility of watching over her when her brother was absent. It had been during this time, between arguing with her and silently making sure she was safe, that he fell in love. But what had hurt him the most was that right before battle, he had decided that if they got out there alive he would ask for her hand in marriage.

It was one late afternoon when Zuko overheard the Avatar talking about a swamp in the depths of the Earth Kingdom jungle where lost loved ones can be seen, if just for one moment.

"Please, Avatar, I need to see her one more time," he had begged, hoping against hope that the boy would give into his pleads and take him to the swamp.

The Avatar denied him though, saying that the swamp was a horrible place. "Katara will appear," he assured, "but in the most awful way." But the Prince could not be convinced, and insisted until the boy gave in.

When they arrived at the swamp, the Avatar turned to him with a word of warning. "I'm telling you, Zuko, Katara won't be the same girl you know. Please hear me. She'll just reveal your worst nightmares." Still, Zuko remained deaf to his advice.

The Prince entered the swamp with a sword in his hands, the mud and algae up to his knees and his eyes alert to everything within. "Please come," he whispered, and like a wish come true, Katara appeared a few yards ahead, her arms extended and a glow about her.

He ran, ran like his very life depended on reaching her. A smile lit his face as he dropped his sword. He ignored the Avatar's yells for him to stop, that it was an illusion. _No, _he thought upon being a few feet from her glowing spirit, _my love is not an illusion._

"Zuko," she whispered, "why have you come so far to find me?"

"Because I missed you," he answered, his broken heart beating quickly under his chest.

And to his surprise, the girl laughed. "But why?"

"Because I love you," he continued.

Again Katara laughed, bitterly this time. "But I'm dead. How could you love someone who's not alive?"

The Prince's heart sank. "You're alive to me," he admitted and looked into the girl's eyes, noticing briefly that he could see right through them.

The Avatar watched from afar, tears falling from his eyes as he saw Zuko talking to a stream of light. "Zuko!" he yelled. "Zuko, there's nothing there! It's an _illusion_!" But the Prince didn't listen.

"Move on, Zuko," Katara sighed, stepping back. "Forget me."

"No," he countered. "I won't."

"Forget me," she insisted, floating upwards.

"No!" he yelled and raised his arms in an attempt to hold her down. "Come back!" he wept, and fell on his knees. "I won't forget you." He reached for his sword, and in a desperate attempt to join the one he loved began to cut the flesh on his wrist. "I won't," he whispered and ordered his trembling hands to destroy his body faster.

It wasn't long before the Avatar reached him and grabbed his sword, throwing it aside. "It's not what she would have wanted!" he yelled angrily, tears streaming down his cheeks. He ripped a piece of his shirt and began to make a tourniquet for the Prince's bleeding wrist.

The Prince wept as the Avatar finished tying the cloth. "It's my fault she's gone."

"No, it's not," Aang assured. "It's no ones fault."

"Yes, it is," he insisted. "I loved her." And upon seeing the confused look on the boy's face, he elaborated. "Everyone I love leaves me."

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Please review!


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